28.8.08

I didn't do any research on this one. But my seven year old daughter came home from a friend's house a few months ago having read It's So Amazing by Robie H. Harris (or maybe they just flipped to some of the more provocative sections), and she couldn't stop talking about it. I forgot about it (welcome to my style of parenting) for a few months and then found myself at a bookstore the other day wanting to get a book for her to welcome her back from a week away and I remembered how much she liked this one. She beamed from ear to ear when I gave it to her, and promptly disappeared to read it. She emerges every now and then, mostly to point to the paragraph about conception--she holds it up and says 'did you see this part?' as if to say 'I know what you and Daddy did...' She's torturing her older brother with it too. 'Did you see this part?' she'll ask, holding it up for him. He just rolls his eyes to the ceiling and changes the subject. In particular, she's confused as to why the cartoon couple looks naked in their shoulder area, but you can see pajama bottoms sticking out by their feet, at the foot of the bed. Frankly, that part confuses me too. Are we illustrating the basics or indicating that the deed can be done with pajama bottoms all bunched up around our ankles? There's no blatant nakedness in this picture--rather it's a cartoon couple under cartoon blankets in a cartoon bed, etc. But the book doesn't shy away from nakedness. And we all especially enjoy the lineup of naked people (no Barbie bodies, thank you very much)--again, more cartoons but with detailed saggy boobs, thinning pubes on the older folks, etc. It's so Amazing is straightforward and chatty. The book is narrated by a bird and a bee--one of whom loves to talk about the nitty-gritty (like my daughter) and one of whom would rather just change the subject (like my son). I've answered every question my daughter has ever asked me as honestly as possible, and now it does seem like the right time to hand her a bunch of information and let her browse at will. I've offered to read it with her, made myself available for any questions, and am also interested in her having it around whenever she wants. I'm not sure where we'll go from here, but It's So Amazing seems to be a great beginning.